posted at 6:12 pm on April 2, 2014 by Ed Morrissey

Fort Hood has gone into lockdown mode, with orders to “shelter in place,” as reports of another shooting come into newsrooms. Details are sketchy, but there are reports of some soldiers being shot (via Jim Hoft):

We have reports of an active shooter on Fort Hood. We have reports that there are several injuries from this shooting. There is at least one patient being transported to the hospital. We are also getting reports of victims in the Battle Simulation Center on 65th and Warehouse. The suspect is still at large. The shooter was said to be in building 33026 which is the Medical Brigade Building.

Don’t take any of these details as confirmed yet. If we’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that the first reports from this kind of crisis usually end up either entirely wrong or exaggerated. The lockdown has been confirmed, according to KCEN, by the Facebook page of Fort Hood. They have confirmed that much with CNN, too. CNN now has a report up too:

There is an active shooter at the sprawling central Texas base of Fort Hood, a source at Fort Hood told CNN on Wednesday. The situation is serious and sirens are going off, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. … “They got some kind of shooting incident going on. They haven’t told us anything. It was on post and being handled by the military. Fort Hood has not asked for any assistance,” said Lt. Donnie Adams with the Bell County Sheriff’s Office.

Four and a half years ago, Major Nidal Hassan killed 14 people in a lone-wolf terrorist attack on Fort Hood. So far, we have no indication that this is anything similar.

Update: KAKE reports that there is one person dead and several others injured, but again, be prepared for that to change later.

At least one person is dead after a shooting late Wednesday afternoon on Fort Hood, a post spokesman confirmed. Others were injured in the shooting, but the spokesman didn’t say how many. The gunman is still at large and the spokesman said the incident is being treated as an active-shooter situation.

Update: The FBI announced yesterday that they were tracking a recent Army recruit who threatened a “Fort Hood-inspired jihad against US soldiers:

Federal officials are on the hunt for a recent Army recruit who was reportedly plotting a “Fort Hood-inspired jihad against U.S. soldiers.” News of the recruit’s evil intentions emerged after the FBI’s Kansas City division sent out an alert which was then distributed to the U.S. Marine Corps. The alert allegedly identified the man as Muhammad Abdullah Hassan, also known as “Booker.” The document was then distributed to Kansas City Police and to members of the U.S. Marine Corps to “ inform and protect officers who may encounter this individual or others exhibiting the same aspirations,” Fox reports.

The NYDN reports that the focus of that investigation was in Kansas, not Texas, and so far there isn’t any specific indication that this is connected to that threat. At least, not yet.

Update:Local CBS affiliate KWTX reports that one person has been confirmed killed in this incident, and that as many as 15 others may have been wounded. KCEN is also reporting that one person may be in custody and there may be a second suspect, but we’ve seen that in other incidents just to discover that only one shooter was involved.

Update: NBC has a report from Jim Miklaszewski on the possible number of suspects, but notes that the injuries may only be eight people:

John Thomas Booker, 19, of Topeka, Kan. enlisted in the Army in February and was due to report for basic training on April 7. But the FBI interviewed him in March and alerted the Army, which formally discharged him last week. He is now in an undisclosed mental health facility, sources told FoxNews.com.

Perhaps they are concerned that he recruited others, but it’s another reason to think that the two stories are not linked.

Update: NBC now reports that base officials say only one shooter is involved:

Update: Fox News is suggesting that this is a “soldier on soldier” incident:

A shooting at Ft. Hood that reportedly left three injured Wednesday was a “soldier on soldier” incident without any terrorism link, a senior Department of Homeland Security source told FoxNews.com. The source, who stressed the information was preliminary, added that there was “currently no [counter terrorism] nexus” and said it appears the shooter “killed himself and three soldiers were wounded.” But there were conflicting reports on how many shooters may have been involved, and what happened in the incident. A senior law enforcement official told Fox News that it is believed one shooter has been “neutralized,” and authorities believe there may be another shooter in the vicinity.

Update: Both Fox and CNN are reporting that four people, including the shooter, are confirmed dead:

Comments

When the going gets tough, Obama goes fundraisin’.

BuckeyeSam on April 2, 2014 at 9:04 PM

Hmmm…and you would rather have him actually govern? Frankly the more he is out of Washington, playing with his putter, and going on groupie tours means there is less time for him the mess this country up while in Washington incompletely doing his job.

The Multi Culti Military… This likely will become more and more common in our military as the Republicans abandon the base and begin embracing the multiculturalism of the left and force it upon people who have no way to avoid cultural actions of others they find repulsive and in fact will be forced to not only tolerate but be supportive of those actions they find repulsive.

“At least four people were killed and 14 injured in a shooting Wednesday at Fort Hood, the same base that was the scene of the worst attack on a domestic U.S. military installation five years ago, a congressman confirmed.

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas confirmed the deaths to CNN and said the shooter, a soldier, was among the dead.

A U.S. law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the suspected gunman is dead of what appears to be a self-inflicted wound. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is still ongoing.

“We’re heartbroken something like this might have happened again,” President Obama said in Chicago, after being briefed on the events.

“Obviously this reopens the pain of what happened at Fort Hood five years ago,” Obama said. “We know these families. We know their incredible service to our country and the sacrifices that they make.”

McCaul told CNN that the suspected shooter is a soldier, SPC Ivan Lopez.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, speaking to reporters while in Honolulu to host a conference of Southeast Asian defense leaders, called the shootings a “terrible tragedy.” Asked about security improvements in the wake of other shootings at U.S. military bases, Hagel said, “Obviously when we have these kinds of tragedies on our bases, something’s not working.”

Gov. Rick Perry issued a statement Wednesday night in which he said, “Today Fort Hood was once again stricken by tragedy.”

“As Texans, our first priority must be caring for the victims and their families. Ft. Hood has proven its resilience before, and will again. Texas will support those efforts in any way we can, with any resources necessary. The thoughts and prayers of all Texans are with everyone affected by this tragedy,” he said.

State Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, whose district includes the post, issued a statement asking for prayers “for peace and healing.”

“Tonight, I join countless others in grieving following the senseless violence at Fort Hood. My thoughts and prayers are with all the brave men and women in uniform who serve us at Fort Hood and with their families and loved ones,” he said.

“Tonight, Texans hearts are once again very heavy,” U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a statement.

“The scenes coming from Ft. Hood today are sadly too familiar and still too fresh in our memories. No community should have to go through this horrific violence once, let alone twice. I ask that all Americans join Sandy and me in praying for the victims, their families and the entire Ft. Hood community.”

Really dude. Posse Comitatus Act was passed in 1878, US Military personal were not disarmed on US military facilities until Bill Clinton signed an order in 1993 disarming US Military personal on US military facilities.

“To honor those who lost their lives today, I have ordered that all Texas flags be lowered to half-staff until Sunday, and ask all Texans to pray for the victims, their families and the extended Fort Hood community.”

The governor has been in contact with military and state law enforcement officials. To provide support at Fort Hood, Gov. Perry directed the deployment of a variety of state resources to the area, including Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, Texas Rangers and helicopters, to assist in securing the perimeter of the base and provide other support as necessary.

The governor’s flag order applies to all U.S. and Texas flags under the control of the state. Flags will be lowered to half-staff on the State Capitol Building, flag displays in the Capitol Complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds and facilities beginning immediately until sunset on Sunday, November 8th.

Individuals, businesses, municipalities, counties and other political subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.”

Kent State University police are investigating reports of a shot fired near Bowman Hall in Kent and advising people to seek shelter in place until further notice, according to a text message alert sent out at 8:49 p.m.

University spokesman Eric Mansfield said police are searching for a black male in dark basketball shorts carrying a silver handgun.

Mansfield said one bullet was fired into the ground. There were no other shots and no one was injured.

If Ivan Lopez is the shooter, I don’t think much can be read into the name. Ivan as a given name is a legacy from Soviet adventurism in Cuba and various other South American countries. Vladimir Guerrero, Ivan Rodriguez come to mind.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Fort Hood shooting: ‘My prayers are with all in the Fort Hood community who have been impacted by today’s shooting, including first responders who have been actively working to move people out of harm’s way and secure the area’ – statement via @NBCNews

I don’t think Posse Comitatas ties the Militarys hands as far as Base security is concerned.

wolly4321 on April 2, 2014 at 10:00 PM

No, it doesn’t.
Posse commitatus prevents the military from being used for civilian law enforcement. It does not prevent the military from using deadly force for security / defense of military bases, or from defense of the country, even within the US, from any type of military force or attack.
All military security personnel carry weapons when on duty, but nobody else is allowed to have weapons on base thanks to Clinton.

Thanks for posting that Washington Times article. Good info to have. From the article: “With the stroke of a pen, President Obama can end Mr. Clinton’s folly and allow U.S. soldiers to protect themselves. Because we clearly cannot protect our soldiers from harm, the least we owe them is the right to protect themselves.”

Since Bill Clinton ordered this disarming of our Military on the bases, I wonder why President G.W. Bush didn’t lift it?

, it doesn’t. Posse commitatus prevents the military from being used for civilian law enforcement. It does not prevent the military from using deadly force for security / defense of military bases, or from defense of the country, even within the US, from any type of military force or attack. All military security personnel carry weapons when on duty, but nobody else is allowed to have weapons on base thanks to Clinton. dentarthurdent on April 2, 2014 at 10:08 PM

I found that out topside with an M14 after the first World trade center bombing. I was stationed in NY.

Unreal! CNN reporter Pam Brown: “He, [Obama] connected while giving his short address about the tragedy at Fort Hood”……….followed by, “no, there are no reports that Mr. Obama is changing his fundraising schedule”.

If we can’t tell good muslims from jihadiis and muslims won’t call out their bad seed then send them all back home. The constitution is not a suicide pact for aliens to just come in and terrorize us.
AH_C on April 2, 2014 at 6:35 PM

Now there you go again jumping to conclusions when you know that these things always involve a Bubba from the Tea party, and never a follower of Mohammed sworn to kill the infidels.
oldroy on April 2, 2014 at 6:37 PM

Not at all. Could be a soldier going postal like the one at Bragg oh so many years ago. Or like the soldier that sawed off the head in Germany about 15, 20 years ago. I’m just addressing the elephant that appears whenever a senseless attack occurs. Once upon a time news like this just meant a guy going postal, now we have to wonder if it’s a fanatic on a mission. Given my druthers I’d rather it be a random crazy than a jihadist. We can’t do much about the former but we sure can do something about the latter if we have the will. It’s for the children, our children.

Thanks for posting that Washington Times article. Good info to have. From the article: “With the stroke of a pen, President Obama can end Mr. Clinton’s folly and allow U.S. soldiers to protect themselves. Because we clearly cannot protect our soldiers from harm, the least we owe them is the right to protect themselves.”

Since Bill Clinton ordered this disarming of our Military on the bases, I wonder why President G.W. Bush didn’t lift it?

On the Right side, I see pundits saying “maybe the GIs should be able to carry guns”… and then quickly dissemble and say “just the GIs” – thing is that most of the civilians on post are military retirees…who should be able to carry too – they’re almost to a man war vets and frequently have more weapons handling experience that most of the joes on base.

Thanks for posting that Washington Times article. Good info to have. From the article: “With the stroke of a pen, President Obama can end Mr. Clinton’s folly and allow U.S. soldiers to protect themselves. Because we clearly cannot protect our soldiers from harm, the least we owe them is the right to protect themselves.”

Since Bill Clinton ordered this disarming of our Military on the bases, I wonder why President G.W. Bush didn’t lift it?

I seem to recall back when I served (1973 – 1983) we were never allowed to possess, let alone carry while on base. And that was Bergstrom AFB in Austin, TX, Ramstein AB in Germany, Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Osan AFB in Korea and Clark AFB in the Philippines.

This will be going on for years. Stupid, pointless, expensive wars that yielded no territory or nothing of value, and here is the result.

cimbri on April 2, 2014 at 11:51 PM

If you’re talking about Iraq, you have not a leg to stand on.

But in general, you also have not a leg to stand on.

The wars the US fights, despite what your Democrat NEA Union Public School Teachers taught you in kindergarten, have been to defend other countries. We never went into Iraq to “seize territory” to permanently keep, and we didn’t do D-Day so we could sieze France. Why the getalife would we want to do that anyway?

Name one country that we have “invaded” where we have stayed behind. And remember, mentioning the military bases we maintain in those countries under treaties will only make us laugh at you.

Now…as for Iraq…

Democrat President Bill Clinton and his intel people were the first ones to claim that Iraq had WMDs. All of his fellow (Democrat) travelers in Congress agreed.

And his intel people also told him in 1998 that Iraq was in cahoots with al Qaeda and bin Laden. His Department of Justice included that as one of the counts in his Federal Indictment, a fully binding legal ruling/legal document.

Democrat President Bill Clinton also appointed a couple of Democrat Judges to the same Federal Court in Lower Manhattan where Attorney General Eric Holder wanted to try the original 9/11 mastermind, KSM.

In 2003 and later, those two Clinton-appointed Federal Judges ruled, based on the evidence provided by 9/11 survivors and family members’ testimonies as well as that of expert witnesses, that both Iraq and Iran played a role in the 2001 9/11 attacks.

Do you accept all of those legal rulings as The Law of the Land, just like O’bamacare?

Or were all of those decisions by Democrat Judges irrelevant because of their shelf life?

This will be going on for years. Stupid, pointless, expensive wars that yielded no territory or nothing of value, and here is the result.

cimbri on April 2, 2014 at 11:51 PM

That’s because we don’t have the guts to actually finish a war these days. If we get into a war we should fight it. I keep thinking back to the way we fought WWII and how we handled the aftermath. Especially in Japan and look at how well they did afterward. We made a difference.

Our soldiers in this war have made a difference getting schools established and just basically trying to help but just as in Vietnam they are pulled out before finishing the job.

They never can finish the Job. The Job is not to build schools and win hearts and minds. The job is to destroy, completely, any will to fight America at any level amongst even their most adamant America haters. Only once that is accomplished can you build anything of value in there culture. They first have to either respect you or fear you to care what you think. We never worked towards either goal.

Some people just can’t resist making cheap political points when tragedy strikes. Spare us your phony outrage.

zoyclem on April 3, 2014 at 7:53 AM

Something has triggered a huge increase in the number of suicidal military members. This guy was obviously suicidal with a huge side of homicidal maniac to go with it.

Do you think it is how the military is being politicized or do you think it is something outside the military causing this increase?

I think it is the politicization of the military by the Democrats and Republican party that is the cause along with what the person you responded to said (not in a great way, but it still remains a likely contributor to the morale of the troops).

They go over seas to fight wars hamstrung with rules of engagement, watch their friends die, while the political people in this nation argue they are trying to win hearts and minds (making the wars pointless, you cannot win a war by winning hearts and minds) and then have insult added to injury with things like the repeal of don’t ask don’t tell and the coming addition of trans gendered troops added to the mix. Remember, these men and women are trapped with no exit from these assaults on their morals because politicians want to play their cultural games in the military. They cannot just walk away like a civilian can.

Not to mention hearing their ‘leaders’ in DC refer to them as madmen and criminals every so often, take steps to largely single them out from the rest of government spending as the *only* thing worth cutting – and actually *cutting* their funding, not just for current operations but for benefits, etc.

oscarwilde on April 2, 2014 at 9:23 PM
Thanks for posting that Washington Times article. Good info to have. From the article: “With the stroke of a pen, President Obama can end Mr. Clinton’s folly and allow U.S. soldiers to protect themselves. Because we clearly cannot protect our soldiers from harm, the least we owe them is the right to protect themselves.”
Since Bill Clinton ordered this disarming of our Military on the bases, I wonder why President G.W. Bush didn’t lift it?
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/11/end-clinton-era-military-base-gun-ban/#ixzz2xmk7TUGw
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
bluefox on April 2, 2014 at 10:11 PM

Has anyone started a WH petition yet? Maybe we can couple it (pun intended) with some ghey-rights thingy to get it to move more smoothly (pun again).

oscarwilde on April 2, 2014 at 9:23 PM
Thanks for posting that Washington Times article. Good info to have. From the article: “With the stroke of a pen, President Obama can end Mr. Clinton’s folly and allow U.S. soldiers to protect themselves. Because we clearly cannot protect our soldiers from harm, the least we owe them is the right to protect themselves.”
Since Bill Clinton ordered this disarming of our Military on the bases, I wonder why President G.W. Bush didn’t lift it?
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/11/end-clinton-era-military-base-gun-ban/#ixzz2xmk7TUGw
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
bluefox on April 2, 2014 at 10:11 PM

Has anyone started a WH petition yet? Maybe we can couple it (pun intended) with some ghey-rights thingy to get it to move more smoothly (pun again).